Ne Waza

Shotokan karate does not have many areas in which ground work is applied to its syllabus, unlike Judo. Karate rarely teaches you how to pin somebody down with a hold after an attack to restrain them, make them submit from a hold, or teach you to defend yourself if you are lying on your back. A main reason for this is that Karate is a defensive martial art designed to block first and finish an attacker in one blow.

Therefore, rolling on the floor is the last place you want to be. At Stafford Shotokan Karate ground work is taught to students so they can learn how to defend when they are on their back. Using a closed guard position, they will learn how to apply locks, holds and chokes as well as being able to escape these holds.

Students will also be able to learn how to hold their attackers to the ground with holds such as Mune Gatame (meaning chest hold), Kesa Gatame (known as scarf hold) and many more.